Connected
by TMNT-Queen
Summary: TMNT AU: Four teenage turtles, raised in different houses but attending the same high school. After seeing each other every day for months, one of them finally realizes that they share eerily similar traits. Is there any connection between the four teens? How can there be, when they were raised by different parents? Have their whole lives been a lie?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

 _Leonardo "Leo" Hamato, eighteen years old. Cobalt eyes and emerald green skin. A senior and a jock on the Roosevelt High football team. Best known for his even temperament._

 _Raphael "Raph" Leroux, eighteen years old. Electric green eyes and grass-green skin. In the senior class. Best known for his foul mouth and punk attitude, he can be found hanging with the rocker kids on the quad at Roosevelt High._

 _Donatello "Donnie" Newfield, seventeen years old. Mahogany brown eyes and olive green skin. Student body president and Class Valedictorian. Well-known as the smartest kid in school. As something of a loner, he is often found frequenting the library and classrooms rather than the cafeteria or recreational facility._

 _Michelangelo "Mike" Stoddard, sixteen years old. Baby-blue eyes and grass-green skin. Considered the jokester, prankster, and all-around-funny teen at Roosevelt High, Mikey gets along well with most anyone he meets._

The brown-eyed teen frowned at the information he'd gathered, his fingers tapping impatiently on the desktop. "There's a connection," he muttered. "I know there is. I just can't see it."

"Hey, Donnie, you ready to go?" a girl asked, popping her head into the otherwise empty classroom.

"Just give me a minute, April. I'm _sure_ there's something here. If I could just-"

The redhead walked over, gently but firmly shutting the laptop. "Donatello Newfield, you've been driving yourself crazy with this research. If there's any connection at all, you'll find it. But right now, you need to take a break and have some fun."

Donnie sighed and pulled his USB drive out of the computer, slipping it into his pocket. "You're right," he admitted, letting her lead him out of the room and down the hall.

"I know I am," she replied, grinning a little. "Now come on, slowpoke. _Jurassic World_ is playing at the Argosy and I don't want to be late."

"You know that movie makes no sense whatsoever," he pointed out, following her down the hallway as they slipped through clusters of students and out the front doors. "There is no way that someone could create dinosaurs like that from-"

April sighed, just liked she'd done thousands of other times when they'd had this same argument. "It's Hollywood, Donnie. It's not meant to make sense."

Before Donnie could make a retort, a chill ran down his spine. He turned around in time to see a pair of baby-blue eyes flick away. A slight frown appeared on his face.

"What is it?" April asked, sensing that her friend's attention was elsewhere.

"Mike Stoddard was watching me again," he replied in a low voice. "That's the third time in two days."

"I'm sure it's nothing. He's probably just lonely."

"Please. A guy that makes friends that easily?"

The redhead sighed again, impatiently this time. "Donnie, I swear. If you don't come on, I'm going to make you buy both the tickets and the concessions too."

Warning received. His focus once again on the present, Donnie made a face at April, causing her to laugh as they walked down to the theater.

But even through the movie, the genius couldn't shake the feeling that there was indeed a connection between the other three and himself.

 _I **will** figure it out, _he vowed silently. _That's a promise._


	2. Chapter 1: Donnie

**Chapter 1: Donnie**

It was really no surprise - at least, it shouldn't have been. After all, even with the extensive differences in ethnicities of the Roosevelt High students - mutants included -, he had only ever seen four anthropomorphic turtles. And that was counting himself.

So when one of the teens in Donnie's AP Calculus class mentioned something about the four of them looking like they could be brothers, the comment stuck in Donnie's head. After that, his brain had taken over, thoughts snowballing out of control. There simply _had_ to be a connection. Even with all of the different mutants and humans in New York, he had never seen another turtle...except for Leonardo Hamato, Raphael Leroux, and Michelangelo Stoddard.

It was driving him crazy.

He _knew_ there was a connection - yet how could there be, when they had been raised by different parents all their lives? How could they be related, when all evidence pointed to the contrary?

 _Just because we look similar does not mean that we're related,_ Donnie thought.

"Watch where you're going, nerd!" a harsh voice snapped, jerking the genius from his thoughts. He moved out of the way just in time, as Raph Leroux himself stalked down the crowded hallway. "What's the matter, Newfield?" Raph asked tauntingly. "Lost in thought about your dopey little girlfriend again?"

"April is _not_ my girlfriend," Donnie retorted, even though he knew better. Leroux was the meanest, nastiest bully at school - and if you got on his bad side, he was going to make your life absolutely miserable.

He was the reason that Donnie had the gap in his front teeth.

"You're right," the bully said. "She's way too good for the likes of you. Maybe I should see if she wants to hook-"

He shouldn't have done it. He really, _really_ shouldn't have done it. There was going to be shell to pay later, but Donnie didn't care. The insult about April was the last straw. His leg snapped up and he kicked Raph full in the face, sending him crashing back into the lockers with an awful _bang_.

Immediately, the other students formed a tight ring around them, chanting. "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

And then Donnie regretted his actions. Because Raph hauled himself up off of the floor, a look of pure, murderous rage on his face. "I'm going to kill you," he snarled, wiping a smear of blood off of his lip and charging at Donnie.

He never got there.

A wall of toned muscle and green skin was suddenly standing between the two terrapins, blocking any of Raph's attempts. "Get out of the way, Hamato," the hothead demanded.

Leo just crossed his arms, staring Raph down. "Like shell," he snapped. "This is the third fight you've gotten into this week alone, Leroux. Don't make me report you again." The jock turned his attention to the other teens still grouped around them. "The rest of you, back to class. Now."

With audible groans, the students headed off to their destinations, leaving the three turtles standing in the middle of an empty hallway. Leo glanced at Donnie, the single look heavy with disapproval. It was enough.

"Sorry, Raph," Don murmured, holding out his hand.

Raph stared at the offered hand for a full minute. "Are you freaking serious?" he asked. "You really think I'm just gonna make up and that's it? No way." He glared at Donnie, making the genius shrink away, and then turned the glare on Leo. "Nice try, Mr. Goodie-Two-Shoes, but it ain't gonna work on me." With another glare at Donnie, Raph disappeared down the hallway, his hands shoved in his sweatshirt pockets.

"Thanks," Donnie murmured.

Leo sighed. "I honestly don't understand why he can't just keep his temper in check. And why, of all people, did you pick _him_ to kick in the face?"

The purple-clad genius blinked, staring at him. And then his mouth twitched into a smile as he began to laugh. "Are you saying it's alright to kick people in the face, so long as it's _not_ Raphael?"

Leo paused, then he too chuckled. "No," he replied finally, once he'd collected himself. "I'm saying that violence is never the answer."

"He insulted April," Donnie pointed out. "I can take his flak, but _no one_ messes with her."

"I guess I can respect that." The jock checked the time on his phone and his eyes widened. "I have to go. I'm meeting someone for lunch." A small smile appeared on his face. "It was nice talking to you, Donnie."

"You, too," the genius replied, though Leo had already walked away.

 _I could see myself being related to him, but to Raphael? Never._

"Never in a million years," Donnie vowed.


	3. Chapter 2: Mikey

**Chapter 2: Mikey**

Baby-blue eyes stayed firmly pinned on the retreating form of Roosevelt High's resident genius, but not a single word dropped from Michelangelo's lips. No, he stayed right where he was. He had learned much more standing on the sidelines than he ever did when he was laughing and talking as part of a crowd.

For example, he knew without a doubt that he and Donatello Newfield were related.

It was no secret that Mikey was adopted. He'd heard the story several times. Julie and Richard Stoddard had found him on the street one day relatively soon after the Mutant Inclusion Act had been passed. The couple had fallen in love with the four-year-old at first sight and taken him in almost immediately. There had obviously been hoops to jump through - adopting a mutant child was almost unheard of at that time - but the Stoddards had managed.

What Mikey _hadn't_ realized was that he wasn't the only mutant turtle in New York City. It was only when he started attending Roosevelt High School that he saw the other three. As soon as he laid eyes on them, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck him. Electricity surged through his veins.

And he _knew._ He knew without a single, solitary doubt that they were all related.

But he didn't say anything. How could he? All four of them operated in different circles. Leonardo hung out with the "good students" and he was always too busy with a rally or a football game or something. Raphael...well, he was a bully - and the odds of him listening to someone like Mikey were slim to none. Donatello was the only one who might even give half a chance to the freckled turtle. But he had his own life.

So Mikey kept his mouth shut and his head down. A sigh escaped his lips and his shoulders sagged at another wasted chance. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked down the hallway to wait for the bus, trying to bury his disappointment.

 **TMNT/TMNT/TMNT**

"Hey, honey," came the familiar greeting as he walked in the front door.

A smile made his lips twitch upwards and he planted a kiss on his mom's cheek, swiping a finger in the bowl of cookie dough she was making. She smacked his hand away, giving a good-natured shake of her head.

Julie Stoddard was a brunette woman in her early forties. She had a younger daughter from a previous marriage, permanent smile-lines around her eyes, and ruled with a fair but unyielding hand over the house. "How was school?" she asked, scooping out some of the dough onto a baking sheet.

Mikey shrugged and grabbed an apple from the fridge, biting into it. "Not bad," he said around a mouthful of fruit. "I had another practice for _Romeo and Juliet_ today." Because of his choice of career, it was a requirement that he join the theater. The freckled turtle had no trouble with applying his creativity to theatrical pursuits, and he did well with any and all plays he was a member in. The latest of those plays was _Romeo and Juliet -_ and Mikey had gotten one of the lead roles.

"Is the play coming along?"

In answer to his mom's question, Mikey mimed holding a fencing steel. "Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough. Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon."

Julie laughed and wiped her hands on a towel. "Very good," she praised him. "You're working your way up in the ranks."

He shrugged again, plopping down at the table. "I dunno. I get killed off pretty early in the play."

"Yeah, but next time you'll probably get a bigger part. Especially if you do well with this one. Anything else happen?"

"There was a fight in the halls." Julie stopped and turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. He held up his hands, shaking his head. "It wasn't me this time! Honest!"

Now, it was true that Mikey's mouth had gotten him into trouble in the past. But he thought it was a tad unfair of his mom to accuse him without tangible proof. A pouty look appeared on his face and he stared sullenly at his half-eaten apple.

She sighed and put the cookies into the oven, closing the door. "I'm sorry, baby, I just...I have to be careful. We all do. People still take note of how mutants behave, even after fourteen years with the Act in place. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Okay," he mumbled, leaning into her as she came and gave him a hug. His eyes slipped closed and he sighed. "Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you...do you regret adopting me?"

The woman inhaled sharply, pulling away and looking at his face. "No, Mikey. No. Where did that come from?"

"It's just that...I know it hasn't been easy for you and Dad since you adopted me, and he has to work a lot so we can keep the house and you rarely get to see him and I feel like it's my fault because if you hadn't taken me in then he'd still have a good job and-"

"Oh, honey...your father and I never regretted adopting you, and we never will. You brought so much joy into our lives from the very first moment we saw you on that street corner." She kissed the top of his head gently, stepping towards the stove. "We love you. You're our son. And nothing will ever change that."

Mikey's shoulders slumped as she went back to preparing food. He supposed that he had to content himself with that answer, at least for now. But his mind spun with questions.

Why was Donnie the only one who seemed to recognize him? Did the genius have any clue as to what was going on?

And what exactly were his parents hiding? He knew that they were keeping _something_ from him...but what?

 _I'm going to find out,_ he vowed silently. _No matter what it takes._

* * *

 **A/N: Just really quick...**

 **I'm changing Leo's last name to Hamato instead of Yamamoto. I figured it'd be better to have at least one of them with the original last name. And Leo would be the obvious choice - especially since I wanted him to have the Japanese surname. ;)**

 **Please review!**


	4. Chapter 3: Raph

**Chapter 3: Raph**

"Mom, I'm home." Silence greeted the red-banded turtle as he stepped into the run-down apartment. He frowned and called out again. "Mom?"

Still nothing.

Raph scowled, ripping his backpack off and throwing it on the floor of his tiny bedroom. Then he stomped into the kitchen to look for something to eat.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much that was edible in the kitchen. What meager food that remained in the fridge had mold growing on it, and pretty much everything in the cabinets was expired.

Raph's stomach grumbled and his eyes stung. He gritted his teeth and pressed his hands to his face to try and stop the tears. But despite his best efforts, a few escaped and tracked down his cheeks. He wiped them away angrily, grabbing his jacket and heading out of the apartment to go get some dinner.

 _Aw, is the freak gonna cry?_

 _Big baby._

 _Why don't you crawl back to whatever pit you came from?_

As the insults from long ago once again rang in his mind, Raph let out a cry of frustration and hurt. "Why did you do this to me?!" he screamed at the sky. "Why?! Why did you put me here in this place?! I would've been better off on the streets!"

Lightning cracked across the grey-covered dome and a rumble of thunder shook the ground under his feet. Rain started pouring down in sheets, instantly drenching him. Raph swore loud and long and increased his pace.

He arrived at Murakami's restaurant a few minutes later. By this time, he was soaking wet, chilled to the bone, and extremely ticked off. He slammed the door behind him, unsurprised to find the restaurant mostly empty.

"Hey, Murakami," he said in a weary voice, slumping onto a bar stool.

The blind chef greeted him with a smile and a cup full of piping hot cocoa. "Raphael-san! It is good to see you, my friend."

Raph snorted at the pun and took a drink from the cup he'd been given, not really caring that the liquid burned his tongue and throat as it went down. "Sorry about the mess."

Murakami shrugged. "It is just water. It will dry." He set a bowl of ramen in front of the turtle. "How was your day?"

Raph was so hungry he ate half of the noodles without taking a breath. "Got in a fight at school. Mom and Dad are gone again. Didn't have anything to eat at the apartment. Y'know, terrible as usual."

"Ah, but Raphael, you must endure bad times so that you may truly appreciate the good times."

The hothead scowled. "No offense, Murakami-san, but my entire life is one bad time. I have yet to see something good come out of my being alive."

Anything the chef might've said in response was cut short as the door opened once again. Raph's fiery green eyes narrowed.

Because standing in the doorway was none other than Leonardo Hamato himself. Raph's lip curled. He hated that insufferable, stuck-up son of a rat. He stood up, pushing his stool back. "Thanks for dinner, Murakami. I have to go."

Leo paused, seeming to take in the other turtle standing in front of him. "You don't have to go because I'm here," he said belatedly.

The red-banded mutant just snorted and flipped him off, then shoved past him and out into the rain. He could hear Leo laughing with Murakami as he walked away. A stab of jealousy went through him and he clenched his jaw.

Everything was so easy for Leo. He had all the money he could ever want, a nice house, food, loving parents, a girlfriend who cared about him...the list went on and on. He was the perfect son. The perfect student.

And then there was Raph. The bad boy that everyone avoided. The bully that everyone feared. The kid whose parents were never home.

He hated that. Hated how easy it seemed for the blue-eyed turtle, when his own life was a living nightmare.

Hot tears welled up in Raph's eyes again but this time he didn't wipe them away. What did it matter? It was pouring rain anyway - nobody would notice.

They never did.


	5. Chapter 4: Leo

**Chapter 4: Leo**

Leo's cobalt eyes lingered on the doorway long after Raphael had disappeared. Doubt and hurt swirled through the turtle's mind. He couldn't understand why the stocky teen hated him so much. Leo had been nothing but kind to him - if a little firm at times. But whenever Raph saw him, the same look of disgust and annoyance appeared on his face.

It was almost as if...he wasn't... _jealous_ of Leo. ...Was he?

The jock shook his head. That was impossible. He hardly even _talked_ to the guy. It wasn't as if Leo had given him much to be jealous about.

But then again...Leo didn't know much about Raphael's home life. No one really did. He was always in too much of a foul mood for anyone to ask. Or to care.

Leo turned to the counter, where Murakami was patiently waiting. "Murakami-san, does Raph ever...talk to you about anything?"

A knowing smile grew on the old chef's lips. "Raphael talks to me about many things, Leonardo."

"I mean, does he tell you about what his life is like at home?"

"Ah. You are concerned about him."

And Leo had to admit that he was. Because despite the situation, despite the differences in their backgrounds, there was something inside of him that _was_ concerned about Raphael. Like the hothead was a little brother that Leo needed to protect.

The thought startled him - ignited a flame somewhere deep inside of Leo's soul. And something that felt like it had been missing suddenly started to heal.

So he didn't question it. Not yet, anyway.

No, Leo just ordered his food and talked and laughed with Murakami. Because he knew where he'd get his answers.

* * *

"Father?"

"I am in the dojo, my son."

Warmth flooded the teen at the sound of the rich, deep voice. He followed it through the polished wooden floors of his family's penthouse until he reached his destination.

Hamato Yoshi looked up from his lotus position, his furred face crinkling in a smile as Leo entered the dojo. "Welcome home, Leonardo. How was school today?"

Leo bowed respectfully and joined him on the tatami mats. "It went well. Sensei, I...I had some questions to ask you."

"If the questions have anything to do with science, you will have to ask your mother. You know I am not fond of science."

"They aren't about science. They...well...it's about our family." Yoshi's ears twitched but he was silent, waiting for Leo to continue. Leo did after some moments of hesitation. "Sensei, did I-" The words lodged in the turtle's throat and he swallowed. "Did I have any brothers?"

The aging rat inhaled sharply, his russet eyes widening. "Leonardo...where did such a question come from, my son?"

"There are three other turtles at Roosevelt High, Father. They're the only other turtles I've ever seen in New York, and they're all my age. I was just wondering if maybe-"

"I knew I shouldn't have let you attend that school," Yoshi said, standing up abruptly and leaving the room.

Leo followed. "What do you mean, you shouldn't have let me attend Roosevelt High? I thought that you _wanted_ me to go there so I could have "normal" education?"

"I never expected that this would arise from it. You were never supposed to find out about...I must speak to Shen."

"Find out _what,_ Father? Find out about the other turtles?"

Quick as lighting, the rat spun around and latched onto the teen's shoulder. When he spoke, his voice and eyes were deadly serious. "You must never speak of this to anyone. Ever."

Leo stood stock-still. In truth...he was terrified. He had never in his life seen his father act this way. "Why?"

Yoshi's shoulders slumped and he sighed. "Come. It is time I told you something you should've learned long ago."

"Which is?"

"The secret about your past."

 **A/N: Aaaaaand I'm gonna stop it right there. There's too much in-depth stuff coming up and I don't want the chapter to be a million miles long. Sorry. ;)**

 **So what did you think of this one? I know you guys were looking forward to hearing about Leo's life. But there's a lot that even _he_ doesn't know. And it seems like Splinter...sorry, _Yoshi..._ is hiding something from him.**

 **And yes, Tang Shen is alive in this book. I haven't quite worked out all the details, but basically she didn't die in Japan. She and Yoshi lived together quite happily, and then moved to New York together. Anything else in the backstory you're gonna have to wait and read. *laughs evilly***

 **Until next time, guys...**

 **COWABUNGA!**


	6. Chapter 5: Donnie

_A/N: I'm having a heck of a time trying to get my brain to work. Thanks for being patient with me, guys. XD_

 _The good news is that I've got the whole backstory laid out. Just gotta fill in some details. *sigh*_

 **Chapter 5: Donnie**

A frown creased Donnie's forehead and he rubbed at his bloodshot eyes. He'd been staring at the computer screen ever since he got back from the movie with April, and he was no closer to finding new information than before.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in," he called tiredly.

Kelly Newfield sighed when she saw that her adopted son was still at his desk. "You need a break, baby. You're working yourself too hard."

Donnie offered a small smile that felt more like a grimace. "I'm fine, Mom. Really."

The blonde woman raised a brow, crossing her arms. "April said that you've been doing a lot of research on a project lately. Anything I can help you with?"

They both knew that there was no point in offering to help. He was smarter than most of the people in New York, and way too stubborn to accept help of any kind. "No thanks. I'm pretty sure I've got it."

Kelly sat down on his bed after brushing away a large pile of notebook paper covered in various scientific scribbles. "What's this project about, anyway? Your father and I haven't heard anything from you about school in a few weeks. You're becoming closed off, Donnie."

The lanky teen blew out a breath, closing his mahogany eyes briefly as he pictured a freckled green face. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be...I've just got a lot on my mind. We're working on genetics, DNA, and shared characteristics."

"Maybe April's father can give you a hand with that," Donnie's mom suggested. "He is a geneticist, after all."

"Hmm..." It wasn't a half-bad idea, actually. Donnie could really use some fresh perspective on everything. And Kirby O'Neil was one of the few scientists in the city who didn't bear hatred for mutant-kind. He and the Newfields had a good, long-standing relationship - it helped that their children went to school together. "That's a great idea. I'll call him after dinner and see if he can help me out."

Kelly smiled, her shoulders relaxing some at his agreement. "Alright. Speaking of dinner, is pizza okay with you? Your father wanted to pick some up on his way home from the office."

"Sounds great. Thanks, Mom." He smiled back at her as she pressed a kiss to his forehead and left the room.

* * *

 _"This is Kirby O'Neil. May I help you?"_

"Hi, Mr. O'Neil. It's Donatello Newfield."

 _"Oh, Donatello. Good to hear from you again. How's school going?"_

The turtle leaned against the wall, smiling to himself at the warmth in the balding scientist's voice. "Pretty well, thanks. Actually, I had a question for you. I'm doing a project on genetics, and I was wondering if you might be able to help. I've kind of reached a dead end."

There was a noise on the other end, like Kirby was moving to another room, and then he came back onto the line. _"I'd love to. Why don't you come by my office on Tuesday and show me what you've got? Then we can figure out where to go from there."_

"Sounds great. Thanks, Mr. O'Neil."

 _"Not a problem. Say hello to your parents for me."_

"I will. Talk to you soon." Donnie pressed the END CALL button and set the phone back on its holder. Then he took a deep breath. If this didn't get the ball rolling then nothing would.

 _I **will** figure this out._


	7. Chapter 6: Mikey

_A/N: I literally just sat here and typed out half a freaking chapter and the computer glitched on me. I lost all of it. You'd think that after how many times that's happened to me, I'd have learned to save my work more often_ _. *sighs*_

 _Also, I changed part of Mikey's storyline. His parents had a baby of their own instead of his mom having one from a previous marriage. Just so you know._

 **Chapter 6: Mikey**

Mikey's shoulders slumped as he approached the place he'd called home for the past twelve years. It had been another long day at school - Raph was mercilessly picking on him once again, and Leo wasn't around to help this time.

As he approached the front door, movement at the living room window caught his eye. He couldn't help smiling at the sight of a freckled face and chocolate brown eyes. When he walked into his house, there was the sound of feet slapping on the tiles, and then a small, warm body slammed into him. "Mitey!"

Isabelle - Belle for short - was only four years old. But with her honey-colored locks, big brown eyes, and the tendency to pronounce any and all "c" sounds as "t's," she had him completely wrapped around her tiny finger. Mikey laughed and picked his little sister up, dropping his backpack on the floor with a thud. Belle buried her face in the crook of his neck and wrapped her chubby arms around him. Warmth surged in his veins as he caught a whiff of her favorite strawberry-scented bubble bath.

It had been a surprise when his adoptive parents had told the then-twelve-year-old they were expecting a baby of their own - though not an unwelcome one. He had a big heart, overflowing with love, and the little girl was the perfect outlet. She showered him with adoration, and Mikey, for his part, gave her double the affection in return. It was only an added bonus that her opinion of him was as yet untainted by the world's views of mutant "freaks."

"Hi, Mom," Mikey said, suddenly less tired as he walked into the kitchen. Julie glanced up at her children from where she was baking yet another batch of chocolate chip cookies. Due to Mikey's voracious appetite, the sweet treats disappeared quicker than she could make them, so she found herself baking several times a week.

"Hey, baby," she replied, smiling a little. It always warmed her heart when she saw Mikey and Belle together. The two of them had a good relationship - and it was good for her adopted son to have someone else who loved him regardless of his appearance. "How was school?"

It was the same question she always asked, but Mikey didn't mind answering. He grabbed a bag of chips out of the pantry and sat down with Belle in his lap. "Not bad." Really, considering everything, it _wasn't_ bad. It could've been very much worse.

Julie just smiled and rubbed the top of his head affectionately. "I'm glad you're finally settling in well, baby. Any more trouble with classmates?"

He hadn't told her exactly who was picking on him - and if his theory was correct, there was no way he was _ever_ going to tell her. "Nope," he said brightly, stuffing a handful of chips into his mouth.

And then, suddenly, the question he'd been asking himself was out in the open. He didn't _mean_ to ask. But Mikey being who he was, it just sort of...happened.

"If there were more turtles like me, would you have adopted them too?"

Julie stopped dead in her tracks. Then, so slowly, she turned to stare at him. "What?"

The turtle wanted to leap in triumph at his mom's expression. She definitely knew what he was talking about. "If I had...I don't know...brothers or something, would you have adopted them too?"

The woman's face drained of color and she grabbed the countertop, her knuckles turning white. "H-How did...how did you..."

"Did you not want them? Is that what it was? You didn't want four sons?"

"It wasn't like that," she said quietly, shaking her head. "We couldn't...your father and I couldn't afford to take all four of you. It was hard enough to get the papers through to adopt you, and...people already didn't like us for that. There was no way they'd let us take the others in as well."

Sensing that the attention in the room wasn't on her, Belle began to wiggle a little, whining until her brother let her go. She slipped off his lap and ran off to the playroom, singing to herself. Mikey watched her, suddenly loathing the fact that she had to grow up in such a hate-filled world. Loathing the fact that her innocence, much like his own, would be ripped away all too soon.

"So why did you pick me?" he whispered, his blue-eyed gaze still locked on the small figure playing down the hall. "Why not Leo or Donnie? They're better than I am. They're smarter, stronger, they follow directions-"

"Because...you made us smile. We needed some happiness and you gave it to us. Believe me, if we could've taken your brothers we would have. But we did the best we could and helped them get adopted to good families. Leo was adopted by Hamato Yoshi-"

"The dojo mogul. I know. And Donnie was adopted by the Newfields, one of whom is a mechanical engineer that makes a decent amount of money. You did good for them. But not for Raph." The words were out before Mikey could even think about them, but he wasn't sorry. He was angry. "He went to an abusive family. His dad is a drunk and his mom sleeps around with other guys. He thinks that nobody knows it but I do. I know almost everything there is to know about him - about all of my brothers.

"Leo is the best student in school, Mom. He's the nicest guy you'll ever meet. But if you do something to hurt someone he loves you'll end up regretting it. Don's the smart one, the guy who can fix anything. Raph may be a meathead but he's got a soft heart. He's _hurting_ right now because he believes that nobody loves him. And I can't do anything about the situation because _you didn't tell me."_

"Mikey, we were going to tell you, I promise we were." Julie's eyes were red-rimmed and filled with a mixed look of fear and storminess. "We just hadn't had the right opportunity. And we had to be careful about the-"

"Protest groups. I know. It's the same old story day after day." Now the hurt and anger and all the emotion Mikey had been bottling for weeks - years - came pouring out. "But let me ask you this: are you keeping other secrets from me? I mean, if you kept something this big from me for twelve years, what else could you possibly be hiding?"

"We're not going to discuss this right now-"

"Then when _are_ we gonna discuss it? Huh? When are we going to talk about this major detail?"

"That's enough," Julie tried again, sharper this time. "Not in front of your sister."

The mutant pressed the conversation further, even though he knew she was reaching boiling point. "You don't get to push the topic off anymore. I want answers! Real answers! Not just the 'you made us smile' crap. There's a reason you chose _me_ instead of the other guys. I know Dad was working with some D.C. scientists before the Act went into place. Does that have anything to do with it?"

"Michelangelo Stoddard, that is enough!"

Mikey flinched, staring wide-eyed at the woman he'd called "Mom" for the past twelve years. He stared at the way her face had gone pale. He stared at the stony look in her eyes.

He stared at the grip she had on a handgun that had appeared out of nowhere - and the barrel pointing straight at his head.

And then he ran.

 **A/N: So...**

 **...I don't know what** **just happened.**

 _Roses are red,  
_

 _Thorns are prickly._

 _And might I just say_

 _That escalated quickly._

 **Maybe Mikey has more Raph in him than he thought.**

 **Please review.**


	8. Chapter 7: Raph

_A/N: Finally got a spark of inspiration._

 **Chapter 7: Raph**

 _I'm not hungry._

At least, that's what he kept telling himself as he walked down the dirty New York streets. Other pedestrians either glared at him, muttered filthy insults under their breath, or darted out of his way when he passed.

It had been...what, fourteen years now since the Act went through? And nothing had changed. People still hated mutants just as much as they did when the mutants lived in hiding.

The brawler was jerked from his dark thoughts by a cold, hard body slamming into his back. He fell towards the pavement and barely managed to catch himself before his face hit the concrete. As it was, his jaw scraped the sidewalk, leaving a stinging gash about four inches long.

Raph spun around with one hand on the injury, coming face-to-face with a pale, wide-eyed Michelangelo. "What the shell, Stoddard?!" he snapped. "Are you _trying_ to die? Is that it?"

"S-Sorry," Mikey whispered, scooting back about three feet.

For the first time, Raph noticed the tears welling up in those icy blue eyes. He saw the way that the younger teen's lips were trembling, and the way his hands were clenched, and the look of utter _pain_ on his freckled face.

He knew exactly what that look meant.

And despite their past history, the bully felt a surge of protection for the kid. He sighed and stood, brushing himself off. Then he held out a hand. "Come on, idiot. Let's get out of here."

Mikey just gave him a deer-in-the-headlights look, completely shocked. "What?"

"I said let's get out of here. People are staring, and I hate being watched as it is. 'Sides, something's bothering you, isn't it?"

The boy nodded mutely, taking the offered hand and following his fellow turtle down several streets until they came to a stop in front of an unfamiliar building.

"I wasn't gonna come here tonight," Raph mumbled, "But you look like you could use some cheering up."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"What?"

"I mean, you're actually being _nice_ to me. You're not pounding me into the ground or calling me names."

"...I can start doing that if you wan-"

"No! I mean...uh...no, that's okay."

"S'what I thought." But for once, there was no bite to his words. He opened the door and ushered Mikey into the restaurant that was as warm and brightly lit as ever. "Hey, Murakami-san."

"Greetings, Raphael-san!" the old chef said cheerfully. "And who might this be?"

Mikey blinked, confused - he knew that the man was blind, could tell it by the way his eyes were unfocused. How, then, did he know that there were two mutants in his building?

"This is Mikey. He's a friend."

Okay, now he was _doubly_ confused. Raph just called him a friend? What was going on?

The brawler ignored the younger's confusion, choosing to sit down instead of responding. "Can we get some hot chocolate, Murakami-san?"

"Of course." Two steaming cups appeared on the bar top. Raph handed one to Mikey, who numbly accepted. He stared down into the brown liquid as if he could drown himself in it.

"You wanna tell me what happened back there?"

Judging by the look on that freckled face, and the way he gripped the cup so tight, Raph could guess that the answer was no. But he kept pushing, because that was what he was good at.

"Come on, Mike. I know you went through some kind of crap. It's written all over your face. So spill it already."

"...my mom pulled a gun on me."

The words were so quiet that they were almost impossible to hear. But Raph could hear them as well as if they'd been shouted.

 _"What?"_

"She...she pulled a gun on me. We were talking about school and then I asked about...something, and then she pointed a gun at my head." His breath hitched and his lip trembled as he looked up. "I thought she was really going to do it, Raph. I thought I was gonna die."

For a brief moment, the world seemed to stop. Raph's heart jumped into his throat and he tried to swallow it back down. Sure, he'd been threatened by his parents. Beaten, even. But never, ever held at gunpoint. He couldn't even imagine what that was like.

 _Crap._

"Are you...okay?"

A silent headshake. Words were too hard to use. Everything was too hard.

Everything hurt.

"I can't go h- back," Mikey whispered, and all the pain in that one sentence broke the fragile, titanium-shielded pieces of the other turtle's heart. "I don't know what I'm gonna do. Live on the streets, I guess. Show up at a foster home, maybe?"

"No. I'm not gonna let that happen. We'll figure something out. Isn't there anyone you feel safe with? A family member? A friend? Someone like-"

 _Donnie._

Newfield could be a real pain in the shell sometimes, but he'd never said one mean word to the poor kid. Plus his parents were real mutant advocates.

"Listen up, squirt. I got a plan."

 **Please review.**


	9. Chapter 8: Leo

**Chapter 8: Leo**

Blue eyes were closed in concentration, hands clasped into fists against his thighs. Leonardo remained kneeling on the tatami mats, trying desperately to hear what his parents were saying behind the rice paper doors of their bedroom.

 _"-t has been a very long time since the topic was discussed in our home."_

 _"We cannot keep it from him, Yoshi. You know this."_

 _"And_ you _know that I wished never to speak of it again. Everything we have worked for, everything that we have created to keep him and our lives safe, will be ruined."_

 _"If he is telling the truth, and things are as bad as they appear to be, then everything is already in ruins. Please, my love. Hide from reality no longer."_

There was a beat of silence and then a door slid open. His mother beckoned him forward with a warm smile. "Come, _Aito,_ " Shen said quietly. "Your father wishes to speak with you."

 _"Hai_ , _mama."_ He inclined his head to her in respect as he passed and she rubbed her hand gently across his shell in return.

When the mutant entered the most private room in the house, his stomach dropped. There, in front of his kneeling father, was a framed photograph that he'd never seen before.

It was a picture of himself and three other turtles - turtles with hauntingly familiar faces. "It's true," Leo breathed. His head spun and he fell to his knees too quickly for comfort. His kneecaps slammed into the semi-padded floor, but pain was the last thing he was concerned about at the moment. He had brothers.

He had _brothers._

And he'd never even realized it.

"Sensei - Father - _how?"_

Yoshi's furred face contorted into something that was not quite a smile, yet not quite a frown. He gazed at the photograph with troubled russet eyes. "A long time ago, before the Act was put into place, mutants were still being hunted. Your mother and I had traveled to the United States from Japan, my childhood home, in hopes of starting a new life for ourselves. I had planned to open a dojo of my own right here in New York.

"One day, Shen and I journeyed into a small pet store. She had expressed wishes to own a small animal - perhaps a dog or a rabbit - but as soon as she laid eyes on the four of you, she fell in love. We became the owners of four baby turtles."

Leo held his breath, knowing what came next. There was a whisper of silk and then his mother knelt beside him, gently curling her small human hand around his large green one.

"We left the store, she and I, and I noticed strange noises coming from an alleyway nearby. Your mother begged me not to go but I did not listen. All too late did I discover that it was a trap laid by the very people that made us who we are." He sighed, then, absentmindedly rubbing a finger over the old photo. "It became too much to try and take care of all four of you. I could take care of four regular baby turtles, but not four toddlers. I was meant to be the head of our little family unit, and yet i could not even hold a job because of what I had become.

"I contacted a friend, and he helped get your brothers into what were - at the time - safe homes." Pain ate at Yoshi's expression and a tear tracked down through the graying fur on his cheek. "Letting your brothers go was the only way that everything would work...but if I could've done it differently i would have. I am sorry, Leonardo."

The teen's head spun. He wanted to deny it, wanted his _father_ to deny it, but he knew they couldn't. It was the truth. "Then...why me?" His voice came out hoarse and cracking, like he'd been drinking too much herbal tea. "Why would you keep me out of all of us?"

"Everything was done for a specific reason," Shen told him softly. "Your brothers are where they are because that is where they needed to be. That is where they needed to grow up."

Okay, now Leo was _really_ confused. It must have shown in his eyes because his father drew in a long breath and made to speak.

And then the world rocked on its foundation. Leo's body exploded in pain as something slammed into him; he fell forward onto his plastron, gasping for air. Vaguely, he heard someone screaming.

And then he heard nothing at all.

 **A/N: Sorry if that was a lot to process. Basically Shen didn't mutate but the rest of them did. The rest of the storyline is pretty much the same as the show.**

 **Also I would've had the chapter out sooner if FF hadn't glitched on me. Again.**

 **Please review.**


	10. Chapter 9: Donnie

A/N: This chapter has a single "bad language word" in it, simply because I thought it would be funny if Don stood up to Raph. (Why? You'll see.)

Also, that comment that our little genius makes will probably be very important later. *evil grin*

 **Chapter 9: Donnie**

 _"New tonight: was it a prank gone wrong, or a premeditated hate crime? Who the authorities believe are behind the horrific attack and why, right after the break."_

Donnie sighed and stretched, turning away from his homework for a bit. It wasn't difficult, necessarily. There was just a lot of it.

The genius stood up and heading into the kitchen for a well-deserved snack. But just as he was walking away from the coffee table, the doorbell rang. His chestnut brown eyes narrowed and he crept to the front door, peeking out of the peephole.

It was Mikey.

Don opened the door swiftly. "Hey, Mike. What's...Raph?!" And there he was, right behind the freckle-faced turtle. "What are you guys doing here?" _What is_ Raph _doing here,_ he meant, but didn't say.

"Mikey needs help," the brawler said quietly. "And I figured you were the best person for the job."

* * *

"Wait, _what_ happened?!"

"His mom held a gun to his head," Raph repeated. The two older mutants had been in the kitchen for the past half hour, discussing everything, while Mikey happily watched TV and stuffed his face with leftover mac'n'cheese from last night's dinner. "He can't go home."

"So your suggestion was to have him stay with me? I'm sure there are a million other people he could bunk with. The kid's got friends. I mean, for that matter, why not you?"

"He can't stay with me."

"Why not?"

Leroux shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his head. "Because I-I'm in a bad situation, okay? He doesn't need to be party to it. Heck, it's the _last_ thing he needs."

"Look, man, I really wish I could help, but it's been hard enough on my parents already. They're giving my dad a lot of grief at work because of me, and I'm pretty sure he's close to losing his-"

"Hey guys, come here! They're saying that a building blew up downtown!"

Don and Raph exchanged surprised glances and hurried into the living room, where a wide-eyed Michelangelo was inches away from the TV screen.

 _"In a developing story, a locally known and beloved business has gone up in flames tonight. Hamato Dojo was awash in red and orange after a massive explosion that rocked the entire street. Authorities are trying to figure out the best course of action for how to investigate this."_

The scene cut to a video of the police chief outside the burning building. _"We're doing everything we can to make certain that the people who did this are held responsible."_

Back to the reporter, looking calm and serene behind her desk. _"There were three victims caught in the fire; their identities and conditions remain unknown at this time, but they have been transported to Manhattan Hospital. And now to Christy for the weather."_

"Hamato Dojo?" Donnie repeated in disbelief, switching off the TV. "Isn't that Leo's dad's place?"

"Yeah," the bully said softly, his electric green eyes glazed with shock. "I used to go there after school."

"Leo..." Mikey whispered.

A buzzing sound filled the air and they all jumped. Don sheepishly reached down to answer his phone. "Hello? Oh, hey April. Yeah. Yeah I just heard. Where are you right now? ...is he okay?" There was a pause, and Donnie's face darkened. "Crap. Okay. I'm on my way. Hang tight."

"What'd she say?" Mikey asked.

"She's at the hospital. Leo's in bad shape."

Raph crossed his arms. "And?"

The lanky teen stopped and fixed him with a glare that chilled him down to his very bones. "And we're going down there, dumbass. Now come on."

With that, Donnie turned on his heel and headed for the door, leaving the other two gaping at his retreating shell. He made it out into the hallway before they did...which gave him time to slump against the wall and try to calm his pounding heart.

He'd finally spoken up to Raphael Leroux and not gotten hurt in return.

Despite the circumstances, a tiny grin appeared on his lips and he walked down the hallway with a little bounce in his step.

 **A/N: Lame ending, I know. Next chapter should be better. (And yeah, Leo's hurt. How bad? Can't tell you that. I'd have to kill you. XD)**

 **Oh, yeah. And about Don and Mike...my freckled baby will be fine, don't you worry. He's not going into any foster system anytime soon. Or ever. *glares and possessively wraps arms around Mikey***

 **Please review.**


	11. Chapter 10: Mikey

**Chapter 10: Mikey**

When they got to the hospital, the lobby was full. Karai and her father were there, the former with red-rimmed eyes. She headed over to Mikey when she spotted them walking in. "Hey, Freckles," she said tiredly. He opened his arms for a hug and the human girl melted into his embrace. "I'm worried, Mike," she confessed. "They wouldn't even let me see him. How bad does it have to be if they won't let me see him?"

"He'll be okay," Mikey whispered. "He's Leo. He'll be just fine."

Raph cleared his throat, interrupting the conversation. "And who are you, exactly?"

"This is Karai," the younger mutant explained, grinning a little. "Leo's girlfriend. Karai, this is Raph and Donnie." He gestured at each of his classmates in turn as he spoke their names.

Karai's red-painted mouth formed an 'o' shape and she glanced back at him. " _That's_ Donnie?"

"Wait, you told her about me?"

"Of course, dude," Mikey said easily. "We're best friends. I tell her everything."

Raph snorted. "If she's Leo's girlfriend, then how do _you_ know her?"

"It's a long story. Basically-"

"Ah, Michael. How are you?" The smooth, deep, familiar voice immediately settled Mikey's nerves. His shoulders lifted a little, matching the smile that appeared on his face as he turned around. And sure enough, there was the multi-billionaire in all of his suave glory.

"Hey, Mr. Saki."

"We missed you at dinner tonight," Oroku Saki told him, smiling in return.

"Ah, yeah...sorry about that. I had some, um...family stuff going on."

"Speaking of which, how's the family doing?"

"Oh, they're great," Mikey lied, turning up the wattage on his famous smile. Karai narrowed her amber eyes at him in a look that said something's up with you, we'll talk later. Donnie, meanwhile, stood gaping at the older man standing next to him. Saki took note of this and graciously acknowledged him.

"And this must be Donatello, the young man I've heard so much about."

"Mr. Saki, it is such an honor to meet you, sir, really, I- wait, you've heard of me?"

"You won the _Young Scientist of the Year_ award last year, correct? For the fusion-powered hospital generator?"

The genius flushed and ducked his head. "W-Well...yeah, that was me."

"Congratulations, son. You have a brilliant mind." Saki reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a business card. "If you're ever looking to expand your horizons a bit, give my people a call. I'd be more than happy to have you on my team." He handed the card to the shell-shocked teenager and turned to his daughter. "Would you like to stay here, or come with me? I was going to head up to the surgical ward and see if they'll allow me to visit Yoshi."

Karai gave the middle-aged man a shaky smile. "I'll stay with Mikey for now, Dad. Let me know if there's any change with Uncle Yoshi though, okay?"

"Of course." He kissed her on the forehead and disappeared through the crowd.

The girl turned to face Donnie, offering a warm smile. "You really impressed him, Donatello. He doesn't offer something like that very often. Congratulations."

"Thanks," he said shyly.

Raph, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up. "So...uh...you're rich then, huh?" Three gazes snapped to him and he flushed. "What? I have to know. I'm curious."

Despite the situation, Karai laughed and combed a hand through her shoulder-length black hair. "Yes, Raph. I am rich. But I think of it more as my father's money and not my own. I'd rather earn my own keep than just be dependent on someone else."

"I can respect that," the brawler replied quietly, nodding to her.

Suddenly, the room went quiet. The four teens turned to face the source of the silence, and Mikey's eyes widened. It was a young, exhausted-looking nurse in bloodstained scrubs.

"Family of Hamato Leonardo?" she called.

Mikey reached for Karai's hand and gripped it tight. "That's us," he replied, his voice cracking a little.

The nurse smiled at him. "He's in recovery. You can go visit now."

Karai sagged against him, and he took her weight without complaining. He pretended not to notice her tears on his skin. "I told you," he said softly.

"Shut up, Freckles," she responded.

 **TMNT/TMNT/TMNT**

Another nurse led the group down several hallways until they reached the inpatient wing. Then it was about two minutes until his room came into sight.

The nurse knocked on the door and poked his head in. "Mr. Hamato, there are some people here to see you."

Karai was the first one into the room, followed closely by Mikey. Donnie was more hesitant. Raph didn't enter at all, merely standing in the doorway.

"Hey, guys," the older turtle greeted quietly from his bed. He looked pale and weak against the pillows, and there was a nasty-looking, stitched-up cut on his head - not to mention all the horrific bruising and numerous other scrapes that littered his once perfect emerald skin.

Karai marched over to the bed, threw her arms around him, and burst into tears. His cobalt eyes widened and he immediately pulled her closer.

"Shh, babe...I'm okay. I promise, I'm okay."

"Don't you _ever_ do that to me ever again," she snapped, punching him hard on his arm in one of the only places without a bruise. He yelped and she crossed her arms. "I mean it, Leonardo. I thought...I legitimately thought you were dead. They wouldn't let me in to see you."

"I'm sorry," Leo told her, biting his lip. He then seemed to notice the other three bodies in the room and glanced up. His expression softened when he laid eyes on Mikey - and then changed to shock when he realized that Donnie and Raph weren't far behind. "What's everyone doing here?"

"Same reason she's here," Mikey said. "'cept I'm not kissing you, cuz that would just be weird."

That earned him a laugh - and he was scared he'd never hear that sound again. "I missed you, Mikey. Is everything going okay?"

"We-ell actually...no, it's not."

Immediately, Leo grew serious. He shifted so he was sitting up further in bed, leaned forward, and locked his gaze onto the younger turtle's face. "Tell me everything."

 **A/N: Soooooo I'm pretty sure this is the longest chapter (in any book) that I've written in a while. Oops.**

 **Please review! Please?**


	12. Chapter 11: Raph

**Chapter 11: Raph**

He stood there as Mikey relayed the past twenty-four hours' events. He watched the growing horror and fierce protection emerge on Leo's face. Saw the raw pain in Karai's amber gaze. Heard Donnie's own testimony of how they'd come to him asking for a place for the kid.

And Raph felt like an outsider - like he was intruding on a very private moment. But the moment he started to slip away unobtrusively, Leo called out to him.

"Raph."

It was one word. It shouldn't have meant anything. It shouldn't have torn at the bully's heart like that. But it did. And when he turned back around, he saw the gratefulness in Leo's eyes.

"Thank you," the injured teen told him quietly.

Raph shrugged uncomfortably, crossing his arms over his plastron as if to protect himself. "It was nothing."

That cobalt gaze studied him for a long time before its owner spoke up again. "Guys, can Raph and I have a moment?"

"Sure," Donnie replied, gently taking Mikey's arm to lead him from the room. Karai remained behind a second longer - only long enough to try to read Raph's expression. As soon as they were gone, Leo turned his full attention on his hotheaded counterpart.

"Why did you do that for Mikey?"

"You're not really gonna make me answer that, are you?" Silence was the only answer he received. His shoulders slumped. "Look, I just...I wanted him to be in a better place than-" _Nope. Not going there._ "Well, he needed something I couldn't give him. Figured that Donn- um, Newfield would be better suited than me."

The beefy turtle shifted so that he was facing the window - facing away from those soul-searching eyes. Leo heaved a sigh of frustration. "Would you stop that?"

"Stop what?"

"Stop turning away. Stop closing yourself off from me."

Raph grunted. It was the one answer he could give without getting really angry.

"Dammit, Raphael! I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you!"

"And I'm trying to seriously avoid it! I don't want to talk about this, Leo! I know how you view me, so it probably comes as a real shock to you that i can actually do something nice for other people. But I'm not always the jerk you think I am!"

"I... I don't think you're a jerk."

"Yes, you do," Raph replied quietly, all the anger escaping at once. "You think I'm some troubled kid to be pitied. All you see me as is a bully. Don't even try to deny it." He scowled again but with far less vehemence than before. "That's all anyone sees me as. I can't measure up to you or the others. I've got no friends, no real family. And everytime I see you, I'm reminded of exactly what I don't have."

And then there were arms around his trembling shoulders, drawing him into the first real hug he'd had in a very long time. "I'm sorry," the blue-eyed turtle told him. "I didn't mean to...I had no idea you felt that way."

 _Why do you even care?_ the shorter teen thought. He voiced another question instead.

"Why are you doing this?" The words came out as a shaky whisper. His neon eyes stung with tears. He would _not_ cryNot in front of Leo _. Ever._

"Doing what?"

"Treating me like...like a person. Like I matter to you."

"Raph-"

"I _shouldn't_ matter to you. All I've ever done is cause trouble for you. Argued with you. Heck, I almost got you _suspended_ once. I've made your life a living hell for the past several years and suddenly because I felt bad for Mikey that makes everything okay?"

"I'm not giving you a free pass on everything else, but I'm not denying you a second chance. And besides, you're my-" Leo stopped and took a deep breath, almost like he was trying to decide on something. But before he could speak again, the door opened to reveal another exhausted-looking nurse.

"Mr. Hamato...I have some bad news."

 **A/N: Aaaand insert cliffhanger here. (Sorry not sorry ) Have to get back into everything.** **Please, please review? Pretty please?**


	13. Chapter 12: Leo

**Chapter 12: Leo**

He was going to tell him. He was really going to do it. "You're my-" The word lodged in his throat, foreign and rough and strange, and he swallowed to try and dislodge it.

A knock on the door interrupted his efforts to reveal the truth. Five pairs of eyes glanced at the doorway, where a scrub-clad nurse was standing. "Mr. Hamato...I have some bad news. Your mother is in critical condition, and the doctors aren't certain how much longer she'll be..."

Leo couldn't hear anything else past the ringing in his ears. Around him, the others looked horrified; Karai reached out and grabbed the turtle's hand and squeezed, but he barely felt it. The nurse kept talking, probably saying something about how sorry he was, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore, because his mom was dying, and there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it.

There was a rough hand on his shoulder, squeezing, drawing him back to reality. Raph gazed down at him with a sorrowful strength in his electric green eyes. _I'm here for you,_ those eyes said.

Suddenly the injured turtle found the strength to speak. "Can I- can I go see her?" The words were choked with emotion but understandable, and the nurse nodded.

"I'll get you a wheelchair."

* * *

Five minutes later, Leo was sitting in front of the door that separated him from his mother. His hand trembled and ached as he lifted it to knock on the wooden partition. He hesitated and took a breath. Hesitated again.

The door opened without warning and Yoshi stepped out on crutches, looking far older than he had twenty-four hours ago. When he saw his son, his mahogany eyes filled with tears and his ears drooped against his head. "There is not much time, Leonardo."

The turtle nodded and wheeled into the room. He froze at the sight before him and a small whimper burst from his lips. Suddenly he was five years old again and shaking from fright, his mother reaching out with ready arms and a warm smile on her lips.

But then reality hit and he was nineteen and injured, possibly forever. And in the bed was his mom, taking her last breaths. The woman opened her eyes slightly and gazed at him; a small, pained smile appeared on her face and she reached for him with one bruised hand.

"Leo," Shen whispered.

He was across the room in seconds, somehow finding the strength to walk over himself. He collapsed on the bed and curled up against her side, tears already tracking down his cheeks. "Mom...please don't leave me. Please don't go."

The woman inhaled as best as she was able, wincing at the fire burning inside her lungs. When she spoke again, her voice was rough and quiet, and growing quieter. "Leo, baby, I need you to look at me. I need you to listen."

It took great effort but he lifted his head and let his watery, red-rimmed eyes meet hers. His voice caught in his throat and he swallowed, but she was already speaking again.

"Your brothers...they're going to need you. It won't make sense now, but later, you'll...later you'll understand. Everything happens for a reason." Shen lifted her trembling hand to his face and ran a gentle thumb under his eye to wipe away his tears. "Be strong, _Aito._ Do not cry, my love."

Leo bit his lip and nodded, pressing his cheek further into his mother's touch. He stared into her golden eyes and tried his hardest to remember them. After today, he knew he'd never see her again - not in this lifetime, anyway.

After a long moment, Shen's hand fell away and her eyelids began to close. She drew in one last shaky breath and...

And there was an awful screeching in Leonardo's ears and a hand on his shoulder, squeezing roughly, pulling him away. Voices calling to one another in harsh tones. In the corner of the room, Karai and his father were crying.

Something broke deep inside of Leo's chest, something fragile and important. Tears spilled down his cheeks and he backed away from the bed, from the nurses and doctors and the horrible, horrible screeching of the heart monitor. He cast one look at Raphael's face, full of pity and sorrow...and then he ran.


	14. Chapter 13: Donnie

**Chapter 13: Donnie**

Donatello had always regarded death as nothing more than a fact of life; it was looked at as something very clinical and distant in his mind's eye, perhaps because he'd never experienced it firsthand. And yet...

And yet, as he stared at the emotional wreckage surrounding him, as he watched Leo bolt from the room, as he took in Raph's pale face and Karai weeping with Leo's father and the still form of Leo's mother on the hospital bed, he felt sick to his stomach.

What if something happened to his own parents?

The thought bothered Donnie more than it should have, and he quickly excused himself - though he was certain no one heard him, nor did they probably care, given the current situation. He hurried from the hospital room and wandered down the hall until he found an unoccupied bathroom.

The teen ducked into the room and locked the door, then promptly dropped to his knees next to the toilet and threw up.

* * *

When Don finally dragged himself out of the bathroom, he saw that the hospital room had been emptied. The machines were shut off, the curtains were drawn across the windows, and the bed had been remade with clean sheets, as if it was just waiting to claim another life.

The lanky turtle blanched at the dark thought and made his way downstairs to the lobby, wondering where everyone else had gone. He found only Raphael waiting for him, arms crossed and face lined with fatigue.

"Wondered when you'd come down," the stockier teenager rasped. "Karai and her dad took Mike home about an hour ago."

"Leo?"

Raph's eyes darkened and he shook his head. "He's somewhere in the hospital still. I can't blame him for running off. If it had been my mom-" He stopped, then, and a strange mixture of regret and something else crossed his face. "Anyway, his dad's finalizing some details. I figured I'd make sure you were okay before I split, too."

"Why?" Donnie couldn't help but ask. After all, it wasn't like Leroux had a track record for being very concerned with the mental states of others. "Why are you suddenly so worried about me?"

The green-eyed turtle looked very defensive, suddenly. He shifted on his feet and scowled. "Who said anything about me being worried? It's just been a shit night and you're my ride home, s'all. I had to make sure you were feeling up to driving."

 _Whatever helps you sleep at night._ "I'll...I'll be okay." Maybe. Probably. "Let's just get going."

* * *

Donnie's fingers itched on the steering wheel as he drove down the block. This street was _not_ a street he wanted to be on, especially after dark - it was deep in Purple Dragon territory. Lord knew what might happen to them if the Dragons spotted them.

"Stop the car," Raph said suddenly. Don slammed on the brakes, scared out of his wits.

"Did you see something?"

Raph gave him a weird look and started to get out of the car. "This is my stop, genius."

"Wait, what? _Here?_ You can't be serious."

The hothead scowled as he unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door into the chilly night beyond. "Shut your mouth, you'll catch flies," he snapped.

Almost too late, Don recognized his mistake. "Raph, wait. I didn't mean to-"

"Sure you didn't. _Oh, look, it's stupid little Raph again. Poor guy, he lives in such a bad part of town. Golly, I hope he's doing okay._ I'm not someone to be pitied, Newfield."

"I-I didn't say you were-"

"It was written all over your face." But the response was quiet, defeated almost. Raph sagged against the passenger seat and rubbed a hand across his eyes. "Look, I-I don't want this getting around, okay? It's gonna be hard enough going to school on Monday after all the crap that went down today. I don't want to have to deal with people finding out about my shitty living conditions, too."

Donnie's breath caught in his throat as shimmering mahogany met burning, electric green. And then Raph was gone, shutting the car door against the cold, and he was alone with nothing but that horrible thought echoing in his mind again.

 _What if something happens?_


End file.
